In Shock Move, OpenAI Sacks ChatGPT Star CEO Sam Altman

AFP/APP

Washington: OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT a year ago, said Friday it had dismissed CEO Sam Altman in a shock firing of a central figure in the AI revolution.

Altman, 38, became a tech-world sensation with the release of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot with unprecedented capabilities, churning out human-level content like poems or artwork in just seconds.

He quickly rose to become Silicon Valley’s newest star, travelling the world to meet with political leaders and huge audiences fascinated by the promise and threats of AI.

His dismissal caught the tech world completely by surprise, with rumours rife on social media about what had caused the sudden sacking.

OpenAI’s board said in a statement that Altman’s departure “follows a deliberative review process,” which concluded that “he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.”

“The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” it concluded.

In a post on X, Altman said he “loved my time at OpenAI.”

“It was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit.” He said he would have “more to say about what’s next later.”

The launch of ChatGPT ignited a race in AI—hailed as the next big chapter in technology—with contenders including tech giants Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta.

Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI and has woven the company’s technology into its offerings, including the search engine Bing.

Google, caught off guard, moved quickly to push out its own AI offerings, including the chatbot Bard.

Altman has testified before US Congress about AI and spoken with heads of state about the technology as pressure ramps up to regulate against risks such as AI’s potential use in bioweapons, misinformation, and other threats.

The statement said the board was “grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward.”

Altman would be replaced on an interim basis by Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, the statement said.

“We have a long-term partnership with OpenAI, and Microsoft remains committed to Mira and their team as we bring this next era of AI to our customers,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to AFP.